ABC / Reuters / AP | 2.1.24
Thousands of Israeli soldiers will be shifted out of Gaza, the country’s military has said, in its first significant reduction in troops since the war began.
Israel’s military said on Monday five brigades, or several thousand troops, were being taken out of Gaza in the coming weeks for training and rest.
The troop movement could signal fighting is being scaled back in some areas of Gaza, particularly in the northern half where the army has said it is close to assuming control.
Israel has also been under pressure from the United States to switch to lower-intensity fighting, and word of the drawdown comes ahead of another visit to Israel by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
An Israeli official told Reuters some of the troops withdrawn will prepare for a possible second front in Lebanon, as conflict between Israel and militant group Hezbollah also grows.
The official added Israel said the move was in line with the country’s third stage of war.
“This will take six months at least, and involve intense mopping-up missions against the terrorists,” the official said.
“No one is talking about doves of peace being flown from Shajaia.”
Israel initially drafted 300,000 reservists, around 10—15 per cent of its workforce since the war began.
Government sources have said between 200,000 and 250,000 reservists are still mobilised and absent from jobs or studies.
The Hamas-run health ministry said on Monday a total of 21,978 Palestinians have died and 56,697 have been injured since Israel began its bombardment of Gaza in retaliation for Hamas’ October 7 terrorist attack in Southern Israel, which saw about 1,200 civilians killed and more taken as hostages.
Thousands of vaccine doses for babies enter Gaza
Thousands of doses of vaccines against childhood diseases, including polio and measles, have started entering Gaza to help deal with a growing health emergency in the besieged enclave.
The Palestinian health ministry said the supplies had entered Gaza through the Rafah border, with the help of Egyptian government storage facilities.
The doses should be sufficient to cover vaccinations for babies aged between eight and 14 months.
Israel announced on Friday it would facilitate the entry of the vaccines to help prevent the spread of disease.
Yasser Bouzia, who is the international relations head for the health ministry in Ramallah, said there is estimated to be around 60,000 newborn babies in Gaza who have been largely cut off from their normal vaccinations and medical services.
War continues into new year in Khan Younis
Khan Younis residents reported air strikes and shelling in the west and centre of the Southern Gaza city on late Sunday.
The Israeli military and militant group Islamic Jihad both reported clashes in the area.
The Palestinian Red Crescent said it transported several dead and injured Gazans following a strike late Sunday, in a social media post on X.
Combat was also reported in urban refugee camps in central Gaza, where Israel expanded its offensive last week.
“It’s our routine: bombings, massacres and martyrs,” said Palestinian resident Saeed Moustafa.
Mr Moustafa said he could hear sporadic explosions and gunfire in Nuseirat and in the nearby Bureij and Maghazi camps.
“Just as we speak, there is a big explosion not far from my home,” he said in a phone call Monday morning.